This invention generally concerns online presentation broadcasting over a network, and more particularly, the scheduling of presentation broadcasts in an integrated network environment.
Online presentation broadcast technology allows people to xe2x80x9cattendxe2x80x9d a virtual presentation broadcast by presentation broadcasting the presentation broadcast over a network to computers that are accessible to the attendees. Recent advancements in networking and online presentation broadcasting technology have led to a rapid increase in the use of such virtual presentation broadcasts, particularly over intranets, within large corporations. Of course, the advantages of virtual presentation broadcasts are perhaps best realized over the Internet, which can reach an even greater audience. While these advancements have been dramatic, the scheduling of online presentation broadcasts has not advanced much at all. Consequently, many of the problems that have long been associated with scheduling an in-person presentation broadcast are still experienced when scheduling an online presentation broadcast using the computer tools currently available.
Typically, the scheduling of online presentation broadcasts is performed in the following manner. The originator of the presentation broadcast (usually the creator of the presentation broadcast) decides when the presentation broadcast is to be presentation broadcast, and specifies a network location where the presentation broadcast can be accessed by remote attendees. Once this presentation broadcast information is established, the originator must identify the expected attendees of the presentation broadcast. Typically, the originator creates or generates a list of attendees and notifies each of these attendees by either calling them on the telephone to provide them with the presentation broadcast information, or sending an e-mail invitation to each of the attendees. The advantage of using e-mail is that the notification is in a tangible form, and a single e-mail may be sent to multiple prospective attendees. When using conventional e-mail applications, all of the presentation broadcast information, along with the start time and duration of the presentation broadcast must be manually entered into the e-mail message. Furthermore, in many instances, the recipients of the e-mail message must thereafter manually enter such information into their electronic (or manual) calendar or personal information manager. Likewise, the originator of the presentation broadcast must also manually enter the presentation broadcast information into a calendar or personal information manager to ensure that a timely reminder is provided to start the presentation broadcast at the specified time.
All of the foregoing manual steps are time consuming and often lead to errors. Further, if the originator decides to change the time of a presentation broadcast, it is necessary to call or e-mail the prospective attendees to advise them of the new time. If the original e-mail message sent by the originator was not saved, a new list of attendees must be generated, but may not correspond to the original list. Additional phone calls or e-mail messages must also be made if the network location of the presentation broadcast is moved. It is also probable that an attendee might miss the presentation broadcast if it is forgotten, or through failure to check a calendar, or if incorrect information was manually entered in the calendar.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system for scheduling a presentation broadcast in a more automated fashion that avoids these problems. For example, it would be advantageous to have some or all of the presentation broadcast information automatically generated and included in e-mail messages sent to prospective attendees. It would also be beneficial to automatically generate and send e-mail messages to the list of prospective attendees in the event that a presentation broadcast is rescheduled, or its network location is changed. Additionally, it would be advantageous to provide means for automatically entering information into the presentation broadcast originator""s calendar or personal information manager that indicates the date and time of the presentation broadcast.
The present invention addresses many of the shortcomings associated with the conventional scheduling of online presentation broadcasts by providing a system and a method that allows a user to seamlessly schedule, make changes in, replace, and reschedule a presentation broadcast, from within an integrated environment. The system leverages many of the features of Microsoft Corporation""s OUTLOOK(trademark) application program to schedule a network presentation broadcast of a presentation broadcast from within the presentation broadcast design application program that is used to create the presentation broadcast. These programs allow the user to easily schedule the presentation broadcast (or make changes to a previously scheduled presentation broadcast) from within the presentation broadcast design program.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a method is provided for scheduling an online presentation broadcast that is to be presentation broadcast over a network to a plurality of virtual presentation broadcast attendees. A user initiates the method by opening an existing presentation broadcast document or creating a new presentation broadcast in a presentation broadcast design application program. The user then enters information concerning the presentation broadcast of the presentation broadcast within fields and by activating controls included in one or more dialogs that are displayed. The information describes the presentation broadcast and identifies the presentation broadcast server that will be employed for the presentation broadcast. A meeting request dialog containing fields completed with default data comprising the presentation broadcast information is presented to the user, and the user is enabled to generate a list of attendees to receive a meeting request to xe2x80x9cattendxe2x80x9d the presentation broadcast. The user then sends the meeting request via e-mail to the attendees on the list. The e-mail services preferably are provided by Microsoft""s OUTLOOK(trademark) program. If a recipient of the meeting request message is also using the OUTLOOK(trademark) program, the presentation broadcast is automatically entered into a calendar of the program in response to a decision by the recipient to attend the presentation broadcast. OUTLOOK(trademark) provides an automatic reminder to the recipients just prior to the start of the presentation broadcast (if they have chosen to attend) that enables them to xe2x80x9cjoinxe2x80x9d the presentation broadcast in a timely manner.
According to another aspect of the invention, the user is enabled to change the presentation broadcast information by modifying the information that was previously entered in the one or more dialogs and is also enabled to reschedule the meeting by selecting a reschedule option, which opens a dialog that is substantially similar to the meeting request dialog and which facilitates changing the time and/or date of the presentation broadcast. A new set of e-mail messages is then automatically sent out to the list of attendees generated above. The presentation broadcast is also automatically rescheduled in the user""s calendar.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the user is enabled to replace a prior presentation broadcast document for a scheduled presentation broadcast with a replacement presentation broadcast document. The user is enabled to select a previously scheduled presentation broadcast, and then substitute the replacement presentation broadcast document for the prior presentation broadcast document of the selected presentation broadcast. Information for the replacement presentation broadcast document is then entered into the originator""s calendar, and the scheduling information for the replacement presentation broadcast document is written into a presentation broadcast document file.
Still another aspect of the invention is directed to a system for scheduling a presentation broadcast. The system includes a local computer that is connected to a plurality of remote computers across a network. The local computer includes a processor that executes a presentation broadcast design application program, and an information management application program is also stored in memory and is executable by the processor. The presentation broadcast design application program enables a user to create a presentation broadcast document or to reference an existing presentation broadcast document, and enables the user to enter presentation broadcast information concerning a broadcast of the document from within the presentation broadcast design program. The presentation broadcast information is then passed to the information management application program, which sends a meeting request message comprising the presentation broadcast information to a list of presentation broadcast attendees selected by the user. Preferably, the remote computers include a memory in which the information management application program is also stored and executable by a processor in each remote computer. The system facilitates implementation of the various scheduling functions discussed above, including rescheduling, replacing presentation broadcasts, and providing automated calendar entries and reminders.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for scheduling a broadcast of a presentation through an Internet web server. In one preferred form of the invention, this server executes a Microsoft Corporation NETSHOW(trademark) program. A presentation broadcast document is opened in a presentation broadcast design application program and presentation broadcast information is entered into one or more dialogs from within the presentation broadcast design program, as noted above. The presentation broadcast information is then conveyed to the Internet web server, which launches a web page comprising an event submission form that includes a plurality of fields for entering presentation broadcast and scheduling information. The presentation broadcast and scheduling information is entered into the form and saved to the Internet web server; this information is then used to schedule the presentation broadcast on the Internet web server. The Internet web server preferably issues a lobby page comprising the scheduling information and a portion of the presentation broadcast information to advise potential attendees of the time of the presentation broadcast and to identify the subject of the presentation broadcast.